The LGJSS is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity, transparency, and responsible authorship. The journal follows internationally accepted publication ethics principles recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics and aligns its authorship policies with the quality standards expected by Scopus.

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made substantial intellectual contributions to the research and manuscript. To qualify as an author, an individual should normally satisfy all of the following criteria:

1. 1Substantial contribution to the conception or design of the study, or to the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data;
2. 2Participation in drafting the manuscript or critically revising it for important intellectual content;
3. 3Approval of the final version of the manuscript before submission and publication;
4. 4Accountability for the work, including the accuracy, integrity, and ethical conduct of the research, and willingness to address questions related to any part of the study.

Individuals who meet all the above criteria should be listed as authors.

• Ensuring that all eligible contributors are appropriately included as authors;
• Confirming that all authors have reviewed and approved the final manuscript;
• Ensuring that the manuscript is original and not simultaneously submitted elsewhere;
• Managing communication with the journal throughout the submission, review, and publication processes;
• Obtaining consent from all co-authors regarding submission, revisions, and publication;
• Ensuring compliance with ethical standards, disclosure requirements, and data integrity principles.

Individuals who have contributed to the research but do not meet the authorship criteria should not be listed as authors. Such contributions may be acknowledged appropriately in an Acknowledgements section. Examples include:

• General supervision or administrative support;
• Funding acquisition without substantial intellectual contribution;
• Technical assistance or language editing;
• Data collection or clerical assistance without significant involvement in interpretation or manuscript preparation;
• Routine laboratory or administrative support.

Any request to add, remove, or rearrange authors after manuscript submission must:

• Be submitted in writing to the Editorial Office;
• Include a clear explanation for the proposed change;
• Be accompanied by written consent from all authors, including any author being added or removed.

The journal reserves the right to seek additional documentation before approving authorship changes.

The following practices are considered unethical and are strictly prohibited:

• Gift or honorary authorship (listing individuals who made no substantial contribution);
• Ghost authorship (excluding individuals who made substantial contributions);
• Purchased or guest authorship;
• Misrepresentation of contributions or affiliations;
• Submission of manuscripts without the knowledge and consent of all listed authors.

LGJSS does not adjudicate authorship disputes. In cases of disagreement, the journal may suspend editorial processing until the matter is resolved by the authors’ affiliated institutions or through mutual agreement among the contributors.

Artificial intelligence tools, including generative AI systems, cannot be listed as authors because they cannot assume responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, originality, or accountability of scholarly work. Authors who use AI-assisted tools for language editing or manuscript preparation should disclose such use appropriately and remain fully responsible for the content of the manuscript.

LGJSS is committed to promoting transparency, accountability, and responsible authorship practices. All authors are expected to uphold the highest standards of research integrity and ethical publishing, ensuring that authorship accurately reflects genuine scholarly contributions and accountability for the published work.